This invention relates to devices for changing tape speeds from one to another in cassette tape recorder-players (hereinafter referred to as merely "cassette tape recorders") capable of selecting a recording and/or playback speed of tape transport from a plurality of different speeds, and more specifically to a tape speed device in such a cassette tape recorder, in which the tape speed is set to one predetermined tape speed when a cassette holder or housing is released by a cassette ejecting mechanism to cause a tape cassette receiving space to be accessible. A desired tape speed among a plurality of tape speeds provided for the cassette tape recorder is selected by the operation of a speed switching member only when the cassette holder is set at its predetermined operating position.
Cassette tape recorders having a plurality of recording and/or playback tape speeds are known in the art. It is also known in the art that selection of a suitable one among these plural tape speeds results in making recording or reproducing signals excellent in quality with the recording or reproducing time determined accordingly, i.e., a relatively high speed will allow recording and reproducing performance in high fidelity with recording sources.
In a conventional cassette tape recorder of this type, the tape speed switching mechanism is provided completely independently of the cassette ejecting mechanism; i.e., these two mechanism work separately. However, in a cassette tape recorder, the recording and playback speed is generally standardized to be 4.75 centimeters per second. Therefore, with the conventional cassette tape recorder of multi-speed, it is necessary to check what the set tape speed is (of which of, for instance, the standard speed, the high speed and the low speed has been set) whenever a cassette is loaded in the cassette tape recorder for recording or reproducing. This is undoubtedly troublesome for the operator of the cassette tape recorder.